Cowboy Outcasts Read Online Free

few moments, she
turned around to gauge his reaction. He looked tense, his facial muscles
twitching and jaw clenched. Had she said something wrong? His brother must be a
sensitive topic.
    “Three years older,” he finally said. He turned
his back to her. “Washroom is at the end of the hall. My room is next to it if
you need anything.”   Then he took off
without another word. At least there wouldn’t be any funny business going on.
The man appeared to be repulsed by her. She was a problem he barely tolerated.
Once the hog invasion was remedied, she was sure she’d get a swift kick in the
ass off the property.
    It shouldn’t matter one way or another. She was
at the O’Shea Ranch for a purpose—to continue her research and make it through
another day. But there was something dark and alluring about the Irish cowboy
that pulled her in. She wanted to get into his head, like her animal subjects,
and learn everything there was to know about him besides the fact he had a nice
ass.
    It felt like butterflies fluttered in her
stomach, awakening her dormant sexuality. Now the challenge would be ignoring
her human nature, which suddenly reared its ugly head. Science was so much
easier without unexpected variables.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    Callum managed to avoid the girl the rest of the
day and evening. As the sun set he returned from the fields, exhausted and
hungry. He wasn’t used to having another person to care for. He’d have to get
used to the responsibility while she was there. With little daylight left, he’d
have to settle for barbequing up some of his frozen chickens as fresh would
take too long to prepare.
    He hoped he’d be able to control himself around
her this round. His Tourette’s seemed to run rampant when he was in close
proximity to the little blonde. Why? He had nothing to prove and certainly
wasn’t attracted to her. She’d likely turn out like all the others—disgusted by
him given enough time. But she offered a free service which he wasn’t in a
position to refuse. He blamed his nerves on his solitary lifestyle. He just
wasn’t used to having someone else around.
    When he entered the kitchen, the lights were
off. He needed to start a fire inside to stave off the evening chill, and one
out back to prepare the food.
    “Hailey?” Had she gone to sleep already? Guilt
began to well inside him. The girl was already too thin in his opinion, and now
he was starving her.
    After no response, he ran up the stairs and
checked all the rooms. Where the fuck was she? Her truck was still parked in
the lot, an unpleasant eyesore. He knew he’d end up playing babysitter.
    “Hailey?”
    He grabbed his padded jacket from the coat tree
and headed to the barn. There were acres of wheat and hay fields around the
house, so he’d be sure to find her if he patrolled the area on horseback. The
forests were a distant line on the horizon, too far for her to venture, and the
breeding ground for those damn hogs.
    Callum cantered around the area for nearly half
an hour with no sign of the girl. He was about to turn back when he heard a
remote scream. It came from the forest, now shrouded in night.
    He jabbed the heels of his boots against the
horse’s sides and galloped through the blackness. The sense of urgency made his
heart race, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Wind rushed through his hair,
burning his eyes. He strained to see with only the gentle cast of moonlight.
The soft glow highlighted the waves of wheat that surrounded him like a golden
ocean.
    As soon as he reached the treeline, he
dismounted before bringing the horse to a full stop. “Hailey!”
    “Callum!”
    He pulled his rifle off the side of his saddle
and ran blind towards her voice. Her whimpers spurred him on, helping him find
her with increased ease. She was bunkered down behind some unruly briars. The
yellow, glowing eyes of an oversized hog were the source of her distress. It
was an unruly beast, choosing to attack rather than